


i'll pick your feet up off of the ground

by paperbacklouis (marchfairies)



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: AU, F/M, and yeah that's kind of it??, harry's on a flight to new york from london, louis is sitting next to him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-01
Updated: 2014-01-01
Packaged: 2018-01-07 00:39:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1113423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marchfairies/pseuds/paperbacklouis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>au. harry's on a flight to new york. a blue-eyed strangers moves seats to be next to him and suddenly, harry's fear of flying is the last thing on his mind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	i'll pick your feet up off of the ground

**Author's Note:**

> so... this happened. happy new year!
> 
> title from 'grade 8' by ed sheeran.

as he looked out of the window of the plane, he noticed that most of his view was obstructed by the wing of the airplane. he didn't mind though; it was oddly hypnotizing to look at the huge shadow the wing cast on the ground, and the tarmac on the ground was glittering as the sun glinted off it.

"in ten minutes, we will be taking off. please ensure your seat back is upright and your tray table is securely fastened." the sound of the stewardess' voice filled the air and harry stiffened slightly. this was it. no going back now. the doors of the flight were locked and wouldn't open again for seven hours and thirty minutes. he was trapped.

_no, calm down, no_. he'd promised his mum he wouldn't panic. so what if it was his first major flight? (or his first flight at all, come to think of it.) he'd never travelled so far before. never further than holmes chapel to london: that was the longest voyage he'd been on.

and now... he looked out of the window and focused on the ground, forcing himself to think about shadows and light and not about how terrified he was of flying. ("there's nothing to be scared of, harry, it's perfectly safe," gemma had scoffed. but obviously gemma would say that; her job required her to fly to ireland and to scotland and even to america, at least once a month.)

harry closed his eyes as the flight was taking off, hoping against hope he'd fall asleep and somehow sleep through the entire flight. (he could almost hear gemma laughing at him in his head.)

he'd managed to fall into a light doze just after the flight had finished taking off and the seatbelt sign had switched off, but his sleep was disturbed rather abruptly by the sound of someone loudly settling into the seat next to him, chattering loudly. "thank you so much for changing my seat, that guy was a total dick, wasn't he? i suppose you aren't allowed to say that he was one, yeah? professionalism and all that. one of my younger sisters wants to be a stewardess, i'm going to tell her what a nice one i came across on the way to new york. oh, hello." the last part was said to harry, who'd opened his eyes and was looking at the stranger with wide eyes. he looked to be a few years older than harry, and had blue eyes and feathery brown hair. his features were delicate, beautiful. he was maybe the prettiest boy harry had ever seen.

"h-hi," harry stammered, trying his best to make it seem like he wasn't gawking (he was) and as if the stranger didn't intimate him at all (he did).

"i'm louis," the boy said cheerfully, smiling widely at harry. "and you?"

"harry," harry managed to say. "i'm harry."

"it's nice to meet you, harry," louis said, smiling, and harry thought to himself _it's really nice to meet you too_ , for once forgetting about his fear of flying.

 

_hour one_

harry warms up to louis pretty quickly, growing as comfortable as if they'd been friends forever. louis' very easy to talk to, and he seems to know just the right way to tease someone without making them feel actually bad. harry gets to know a lot about louis. his full name is louis william tomlinson, he's twenty-two years old, wants to be a psychologist ("i just think i really want to cheer people up, you know? make them feel better at the lowest point in their lives."), is going to new york for the wedding of his best friend ("he's called stan, been my best mate since kindergarten. and now he's gone off and decided to marry an american."). louis, in return, seems genuinely interested in harry and asks a lot of questions, the answers for which harry shyly provides as best as he can.

"how old are you?" "nineteen, nearly twenty. i'll turn twenty next month."

"what are you studying in uni?" "photography and creative writing, i want to be a journalist."

"why are you going to new york?" "my dad, uh, got transferred there for work a few years ago, so i'm going to spend summer vacation with him."

harry learns that  he and louis have, actually, quite a lot in common: a love for great tea ("yorkshire or nothing, mate, don't even bother wasting my time with anything else."), divorced parents ("my mum's actually been divorced twice, but now she's engaged and pregnant. he seems nice, i really hope it lasts.), and the same sense of humour. (well, kind of. harry finds louis funny. louis finds harry's attempts at jokes and puns hilarious.)

harry also learns something else he and louis have in common when louis lets something slip in conversation. harry asks him why he'd asked to change his seat, and louis explains. "the guy i was sitting next to earlier, total dickhead. kept telling me about some 'faggot' he knows and how much he thinks gay marriage ruins marriage. it was disgusting. like, i'll marry another guy if i want, how the fuck is it anyone else's business? i didn't _choose_ to be gay, did i? asshole." harry's cheeks turn bright red at this, and he doesn't know why. it hadn't occurred to him that louis might be gay too. and now he can't help picture louis in very... er, compromising positions. but when louis prods him as to why he's "gotten so silent", he just shakes his head and excuses himself to the bathroom.

 

_hour two_

harry spends most of the hour watching an old episode of friends on the in-flight entertainment system. louis' fallen asleep, head lolling to the side. suddenly, harry shifts slightly and then, without realising it, louis' head is on his shoulder. harry smiles slightly, and stays as still as he can so he won't disturb louis.

 

_hour three_

louis wakes up when the stewardess that's pushing a trolley of snacks and drinks stops by their seat. "i'll have a tea, please," he says blearily, and the stewardess nods and pours out one for him, handing it to him. he sips it gratefully, and wrinkles his nose. "do you think i could have another one? no sugar, please," he says and passes his cup to harry. "here, you can have this one. i hate sugar in tea, it completely ruins the taste, don't you think?"

harry opens his mouth to protest; he doesn't particularly want tea, or anything to drink except water, but then inhales the tea and feels the smile spread across his face. he accepts the cup and sips it happily, setting it down on his tray table.

"you should try tea without sugar," louis says. "a half-spoon of milk and no sugar. it's really the only way to drink it."

harry raises an eyebrow, skeptical, and louis offers him his current cup. harry takes it and takes a small sip of it, immediately spitting it out onto louis' grey sweatpants. "that," he says, "was the grossest thing i've ever tasted in my life." at louis' disappointed look, he adds quickly, "but maybe it'll grow on me?"

louis just chuckles and shakes his head, dabbing at the stain on his sweatpants with the end of his sleeve. "looks like there's hope in you yet, young harold," is all he says.

 

_hour four_

by now, harry's shoulders have grown terribly stiff. his back is aching and he knows his slouching probably isn't helping, but he can't help it, he's tired and can't manage to keep his back up.

he stretches as much as he can in the small space, and a tiny groan escapes his lips.

"what's up?" louis asks, looking up from his tv screen and pausing whatever movie he's watching.

"nothing," harry says automatically and then, when louis raises his eyebrows, says, "i have kind of a bad back, and being so cramped is making it hurt."

"a bad back," louis repeats, incredulous, and laughs. (he does that a lot, harry's noticed.) "what are you, a spritely young teenager or an old man? come here, i'll rub your shoulders for you."

harry blushes, and he doesn't know why. maybe because no one except his mum's offered to rub his shoulders before, and he doesn't quite know what to make of it. but anyway, he turns slightly so his back is to louis, and louis moves his hands to harry's shoulders. like this, with his hands on his shoulders, harry can tell how small louis' hands are. it's weird, because harry feels very small during a conversation with louis. louis' loud and funny and everything harry at once admires and is slightly scared of. but like this, with the loudness and the attitude silent, harry notices that louis' small.

"god, your shoulders are tense," louis comments, and harry slowly lets out the deep breath he's been holding.

"you're really good at this," harry says in a soft voice.

"yeah?" harry can tell from louis' tone that he's smiling. "thanks. i used to do this for my boyfriend all the time."

harry stiffens slightly and, before he can control himself, says, "you have a boyfriend?"

"nah, not anymore," louis says casually, and harry can actually feel himself relax.

"attention, passengers. this is to announce that due to turbulence and bad weather conditions, the landing of our flight has been delayed by half an hour. please keep your seat belts securely fastened, and do not use the bathroom until the turbulence has cleared up." the captain's voice sounds over the intercom system. harry starts panic: this is exactly what he was so scared of. turbulence is the first thing to go wrong; who knows what else will? oh, god, what if this is his last couple of hours on the earth?

"looks like you're stuck with me for half an hour more, styles," louis says. despite himself, harry gives louis a small smile, relaxing as louis continues to rub his shoulders.

 

_hours five and six_

harry falls asleep after louis' amazing massage, leaning against the window. when he wakes up after an hour, the window is fogged up with his breath and louis' gone. he gets up and stretches slightly, heading to the bathroom. it's occupied, and harry leans against the window to wait. after a few minutes, the door opens and louis' there. harry smiles at him in greeting.

there's an oddly intense look on louis' face, and he surveys harry, looks him up and down. harry, predictably, blushes, and louis steps forward slowly, the tiniest of steps. he reaches forward and takes harry's hand.

harry's just about recovered from the split second touch that he is touching louis tomlinson's hand, oh my god (it's slightly callused and warm and perfect) when louis tugs harshly on harry's hand. he yanks him into the bathroom and locks the door, all in a split second, and harry's gasp of surprise is stifled when louis pushes his lips against his.

 

_hour seven_

"wh-what--" harry manages to gasp out, as louis pushes him down onto the closed toilet seat (which, ew, but harry doesn't even mind much) and straddles him, kissing him again. it's not gentle, not in the least. it's bruising, and harry just knows his lips will be swollen and red after. louis finally pulls off after a minute.

"you're just... so pretty," louis murmurs, and harry blushes even darker. "you don't mind, do you?"

harry's never done anything as fast as when he shakes his head. "n-no, i don't, keep kissing me please."

louis chuckles. "so polite." he smiles and moves his lips along harry's neck, mouthing and occasionally sucking a bite. harry can't do anything but place his hands on louis' waist, leaning his head back and letting out small moans now and then. one of louis' hands come up to harry's mouth. "shh, baby, don't want people outside hearing you," he says, and harry nods.

louis looks up at him for a second, and then pushes two fingers into harry's mouth. harry starts sucking immediately, and closes his eyes. he can't help but picture what louis' cock would feel like in his mouth, stretching his jaw, brushing against the back of his throat, making him gag... he grows even harder at the thought, and louis somehow manages to undo the button of his tight jeans. "up," he whispers and harry gets up slightly, enough for louis to push down harry's jeans and boxers, and then sits down again.

"m'gonna suck you off now," louis announces and then, without another word, takes harry's cock into his mouth, bobbing his head along the tip. fuck. fuck fuck fuck.

harry moans around louis' fingers, sucking frantically. it's all so much, the fingers in his mouth and louis' mouth around his cock. he can barely handle it and he wants a second to breathe, but at the same time he wants more, moremoremore, wants this to end now and also wants it to go on forever.

louis uses his other hand to grip harry's thigh, and squeezes hard. he pulls his mouth off for a second. "want you to come in my mouth, want to taste you," he says breathlessly and takes his cock back into his mouth. this time it's even more, and louis isn't bobbing his head, he's moving closer and _closer_ until... fuck, he's deepthroating harry. harry can tell it's the first time he's doing this, it's rough and clumsy and messy and so, so perfect.

harry tangles his hand in louis' hair, using every last ounce of self control to prevent himself from thrusting in louis' mouth. it's not long before he's coming, in louis' mouth. he clenches his eyes shut and bites down on louis' fingers and groans. once he's done, he feels blissed out and euphoric.

louis, to his credit, swallows every last drop of come before pulling off and standing up, pulling his fingers out of harry's mouth and kissing him.

"next time, you'll have to suck me off," louis whispers against harry's lips, and harry grins widely because _next time_ , and nods.

 

_hour eight_

after louis cleans them up with damp tissue paper and they're both settled in their seats, ready for landing -- seat belts buckles, tray tables securely fastened, and seat back upright -- louis takes harry's hand and slips a piece of paper into it, with an address and phone number on it.

"here's where i'll be staying in new york, and the number i'm using," he says quietly. "look me up sometime within the next few days?"

harry smiles wider than ever, and nods happily. he most definitely will.

**Author's Note:**

> you can find me on tumblr paperbacklouis.tumblr.com or on twitter @paperbacklouis. feedback is always, always welcome. hope you enjoyed! :)


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